1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to beverage containers and, more particularly, to apparatus and method for sealing beverages against various sorts of contamination.
2. Background Information
For many years beer and carbonated soft drinks have been sold in cylindrical aluminum cans. In these cans an openable surface—i.e., the can top—comprises an opening device commonly referred to as a pop-top. Although some pop-tops are configured so that pulling on a tab rips out a portion of the top, most current pop-tops are configured so that lifting a tab partially tears out a portion of the top and pushes the torn-out portion into the can.
Dirt and contamination on the top of the container can be carried into the beverage when the pop-top is opened and a flap of aluminum is pushed into the liquid. Additional contamination can occur when the beverage is poured from the can into a glass, or when someone drinks directly from the can and puts his or her mouth on a dirty surface of the can.